Street-cleaning machinery.



W. E. WILLIAMS.

STREET CLEANING MACHINERY.

urucmou flLED NOV. 8. I909.

1 1 81,279 Patented May 2, 1916.

8 SHEETS-SHEET W. E. WILLIAMS. STREET CLEANING MACHINERY.

APPLCAHON "LEO NOV. 8. I909. 1,181,279. Patented May 2,1916.

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KPH-[CANON FILED NOV. B. 1909- 1,181,279. Patented May 2,1916.

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KPH-NATION LED Nov- 909. 1,181,279. Patented May 2, 1916.

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STREET CLEANING MACHINERY.

APPUCATIQN FILED NOV. 8. I909- 1,181,279. Patented May 2, 1916.

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17%WMQ W. E. WILLIAMS.

STREET CLEANING MACHINERY.

APPUCATIDN FILED NOV 5. I909. 1,181,279. Patented May 2,1916.

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APPLCATION FILED NOV- 8. 905- 1,181,279. Patented May 2, 1916.

8 NETS-SHEET I W. E. WILLIAMS. STREET mums MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FlLED NOV. 8. I909- 1,181,279, Patented May2,1916.

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WILLIAM ERASTUS WILLIAMS. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STREET-CLEANING MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2. 1916.

Application tiled November 8. 1809. Serial No. 526.798.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Eaxs'ros Wnaaaus. a citizen of the United States. and a icsident of Chicago, in the county (ook and State of Illinois. with a post-oflice address at 331 South Clinton street, in said city, have invented a new and useful improvement in Street-Cleaning Machincry. of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to roduce a street cleaning machine that wil automatically take up all the material usually found on the street. including small stones and the like and semi-liquid matter, and deposit the same in a carrier box rovided on the machine and will. when esired, discharge the contents of the box into a vehicle, sacks. or other receptacle provided, or discharge the contents on to a dump therefor.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which *igure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with some details omitted. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the machine showing the elevating mechanism on line -2--2 of Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a similar cross-section to Fig. 2 but in front of Fig. 2 on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical cross-section of the box or magazine for carrying the cleanings or swcepings and of the fan dust collectors in connection therewith. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the sweepings box on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a rear end detail showing details of the belt mechanism for unloading or discharging the box of sweepings. Fig. 7 is a detail of a part of the guiding mechanism for directing the rise and fall of the brush frame. Fig. 8 is a detail of the driving mechanism of the fans. Fig. 9 is a detail of the wind discharge pipes mouth. Fig. 10 is a detail cross-section through the brush. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section of one of the fans and dust collectors. Fi 12 is a vertical detail in relation to the fins and dust collectors. Fig. 13 is a detail showing the mechanism for lifting the elevating mechanism frame. Fig. 14 is a plan of the machine partly in section.

The machine is substantially like a modern motor truck having a frame of iron shown by 1 in the drawings and wheels 2 F driven by a forward on 1ne 3 and rovided with a front cooling ra intor 4 an drivers seat 5 and steering wheel (3 and provided with the ordinary gear box 7 and a chain drive 8 for the rear wheels.

An auxiliary engine 9 is provided to drive the entire cleaning mechanism so that the ordinary automobile motor mechanism is confined to moving the vehicle. The levers and connections for handling the vehicle as an ordinary motor car of this class are omitted for clearness of illustration.

Below the frame 1 there is a water tank 10, Fi 1. carrying water not to be used to sprink e the streets but to be used to sprinkle down the dust in the dust collectors and in the sweepings box.

Mounted upon top of the frame 1 there is a carrying box 11 for carrying the accumulated sweepin s which are taken up by the mechanisin of the machine as will now be described.

Suitably mounted across the machine in a iloatin frame 13 there is a rotary brush 12 whic is driven quite ra idly and suitably mounted in the same rame there are some carrying and elevatin belts 14 and 15 (see Fig. 2). The belt 11 is provided with slats 23 across its inner surface and is guided by suitable rollers 16, 17, 18, 19, and to run around and as it were encircle the entire machine like a vertically arranged girdle or girth and the bottom section of this belt lies flatly directly in front of the brush 12 and as near to the surfacoof the street as practicable and it is protected by a bottom iron plate 21 and a front plate 22 (see Fig. 10) of the frame 13. The action of the brush is to throw the sweepings upward and forward on to the inner side of this belt 14 (see Fig. 10). A stop 24 arrests the sweepings before they reach the back wall 22 whereby the sweepings are made to fall more nearly in the center of the belt 14. A roller 25, with scrapers 26 made in several sections and connected by links 27 to frame 13, rides on the street surface and prevents the sweepings from being driven under the belt protecting bottom 21. The belt 15 in Fig. '2 is provided with slats 28 on its inner side and it is trained over rollers 16, 17, 29 and 30 and it travels in the same time with belt 14. The material falling on the inner side of the belt 1-1 is carried up between this belt and belt 15 from roller 16 to roller 17 and then it is discharged downward into the sweepings box 11 at roller 29.

The floating frame 13 is made in an suitand 15 on all sides save at an opening 1n front of the brush 12 along the bottom section of belt 14 and at an opening at the top" of the sweepings box 11, 11181. below 'roller' 29. The brush 12 is also inclosed with a hood 31 covering it almost entirely excepting in front toward the belt 1+ and at contact side with the street.

Elastic take ups 32 and 33, 11 i 3, of any suitable construction are rovied to keep the tension on belts 14 an that they may adjust themselves to a varying quantity of material that is being taken up between them.

)ening out from the inclosure around the belts 14 and 15 at the top of the machine there is a pipe 34 flexibly connected to inclosure of frame 13 and extending to the top or entrance toa dust collecting fan as and from this fan there is a ipe 36 connecting to a similar fan 37. has a compound fan arrangement is provided for sucking or exhausting the air up from the street at the re ion of disturbance ofqthe surface by the iirush. The airdischarged by the fan forward to the street surface in front of the take up mechanism and discharged by. a flaring nozzle 39 of the ipe 38. The fans and 37 Figs. 4, 11 and 12 are so'constructed that they aid in collecting dust as well as in conveying it. side casing-i0 of the fans, there are a series of deflecting blades -11 arranged concentrically around the fan wheels 44 in a manner that there is a space between their outside rims and the casing 40 and there are narrowopenings 42 and 43, between the blades for escape of material through these openings which may be thrown out by the centrifugal action 0 the fans. The material thus thrown out lodges against the casing 40 anddrops down along the side of the easing into the box 11. The blades 41 'are supported in place by the strips 45 at suitable intervals around the casing. The par oso of the deflecting blades 41 is to furnish a sort of'a neutral zone at the outside of the casing wherein the air is not so much agitated as it is in the region of the movement of the fan blades 44 permitting a settling of the dust and matter, thrown out by centrifugal action, into the carrier box below.

water pipe 46 with many little nozzles 47 discharges a small quantity of water downward on the insides of the fan casings 40 whereby the. inside of the casing is always wet inducing a settlement of any dust that may come in contact with this water or the fan interiors is takenfrom the water tank 10 by a suitable pump 48 (see 3) w 15 in a manner 37 is carried by pipe 38 down.

and is guided On the interior of the out-,.

. a folding platform (l7 at the The water for this sprinklingof l connected to the driving mechanism driven b' engine 9 of the machine and suitable piping +9 and valve connections not shown are provided. In the event that the material taken up is dusty and dry sufiic'ient water will be discharged down on the inside of the fan casin s into the box 11 that the material inthe 5m. ll will be suiliciently moist that it will not again be lifted up by the fans and the-central areas around the fan-shafts at the bottom are closed by plates 143 leavin r the outer rim only, open to the box 11. '1 bus the suction of the fan is made to come in from the top pipe 34. A deflecting flexible curtain 50 swinging from a hinge 51 prevents the air forced by the fan blades from )assing backward out of box 11 around up through thc forward end 52 of the box to be again carried around through the fan on a short circuit as it were.

The box 11 is provided with an automatic dischar ing device for unloading the contents wiiich may be of any suitable construction but I prefer to use a slatted belt arranged inthe box somewhat like a false bottom and extending outward over the rear end of the machine in a manner to permitthat may be drawn up in position to receive the material at suitable intervals. This slatted belt is indicated by 53 (see Fig. 4i and driven by rollers 54, 56. 57, 58 and 59. The latter roller 59 is mounted in a swing frame 60, Fig. 1, which is hinged at 62 to the machine and is controlled by a mutilated worm wheel 63 and worm 64 onhand wheelshaft 76 with hand wheel 77, whereby the arm and roller 59 may be extended horizontally in a manner to discharge into a vehicle at the rear of the machine. In the event of the material of the sweepings being of suitable nature at any time. it may be discharged dircctlv downward into hoppers 05. Fig. 1, and by them discharged into sacks (lb supported by rear of the inachine where an operator will be stationed. The material will be guided into the hoppers as it falls off the belt by the shield (ll mounted on the swinging arm 60. Boxes (l3 alongside the machine are provided for carrying the empty bags and as the bags of material are filled they may be dropped off at intervals. The platform 67 may be folded up to clear the vehicle that may be placed the bolt and to form a pocket 78 from which any accumulated;material may be removed by a side gate (not shown) in the box'11.

A fender 71 made of flexible materialby thetravel of the slatted the street until the machine may run along a full load of sweepings is gathered into' box 11 andthen the entire load be dam 18(1 or the swecpin s may be sucked up as fast as gathered am the sacks thrown 01 without sto )ping the machine.

he brush 12 is mounted in suitable bearings 78 fixed to arms 71) pivoted at 80 to floating frame 18 of the machine and the position of this arm in relation to the frame may be adipgted by the screws 81 in slots Frame-13 is intended to ride or float" upon the street surface by means of the contact with the street surface of the rotary brush 12 and caster wheels 82 mounted in suitable stands 83 pivoted to blocks 84 fixed to frame 13. (See Fig. 10.)

machine by any suitable means, but 1 profor to use four upright angles 85, F 2, 7 and 13, connected to the balance of rame 13 at the sheets forming the inclosure as described and the other necessary frame pieces. These angles 85 are guided and suported by four other angles 88 fixed to t e rame of the machine and the angles 88 are provided with anti-friction rollers 89 workmg against angles 85.

he frame 13 is lifted by screws 90 (see Fig. 13) supported in blocks 91 fixed in frame 1 of machine, which screw into bars 92 that slide on bars 85 but are arrested at a desired point by stops 80 fastened to bars 85. Thus when bars 92 are let down bv the screws the floating frame 13 may ri e on the street surface on its own supporting caster wheels and brush but when desirci the screws 110 are operated to lift the bars 1 2 and when they abut against the blocks 80 the further lifting lifts the frame 18. The screws 110 are driven by gears 87 upon a shaft 93 driven by a s rocket 138 and chain 189 from shaft 95 0 engine 1) and a clutch operated by a lever 110 engages and disen ages this shaft from the driving sproc (ct, see Fig. 3.

A clutch 141 engages and disengages the driving mechanism for unloading ox 11.

The rotary brush 12 is driven by a chain 04 from a sprocket wheel on shaft 95 of engine 9. Fans 85 and 87 are driven by bevel gears 90 engaging bevel cars 97 (see Fig. 8) on shafts 98 and 99 w iich are connected down 'to the tween bottoms-(10 and will be carried out- Frame 13 is connected to frame 1 of the by chain driven by a sprocket 106 on engine shaft 0501 on me A sprocket 110 on shaft 103, (see Fig. 3) drives a chain 111 which drives sprocket 112 on a shaft 118 which is mounted on and carried by floating frame 13. ()n this shaft there is a spiral gear 111 enga ring a spiral gear 115 on a shaft 1111 of rol or 21). Fig. 2, whereby roller 29 is driven by a gear 117. (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8) on shaft 110 which engages and drives an idle gear 118 on a stud 1111. The ear 118 engages and drives gear 120 on shaft 121 of roller 18 and ear 120 engaes and drives gear 122 on siait 128 wine is the shaft of roller 121. The belt 14 is held against the latter roller by the guide roller 18. before mentioned. and is therefore driven thereby. 1- s rocket 125 on shaft 118 drives a chain 126 w 11011 drives a sprocket 127 which drives the rotary pump 48 for supplying water to the fans.

The movement of'the floating frame 13 requires a flexible connection of the driving mechanism that drive its parts with the Power is applied to move the dischar ing belt 53 of the ox 11 (see Figs. 1 and 4 by a chain belt passing around sprocket wheels on the shaft 134, the shaft 62 of roller 57, the shaft 137 of roller 59, the shaft 136 of roller 58; and this belt 135 is itself driven from the en ine shaft 95 by a sprocket wheel 128 (Big, 8), chain belt 129 to the shaft of roller 54, a chain belt 131 from the shaft last mentioned to the shaft 182 of the roller 55, and a chain belt 133 from the latter shaft to the shaft 184.

The box 11 is narrowed in at the front end (Fig. 14% to enter in under the discharge from the be ts 14 and 15 of frame 18 and it is also narrowed in at the rear where the discharging mechanism for the box is located.

Posts 142 inside box 11 (Fi 4) help support the frame of the box 1 and the fan rames. Plates 144, (see Fig. 1) extend forward at the ends of the frame 13 to catch any dust that may be carried around by the pipe 88 and thereby direct it to a second action of the brush.

The following frame 13 is not ri 'd at its four corners but is made to yiel a little that is the lates and frame will permit small distortions in the direction of a diamond shape to permit it to accommodate itself to the street surface but the details of the construction for this are so various that thev are omitted "for clearness of illustration. be several parts may be varied to suit the ideas of the builders from time to time and various diil'erent forms of driving mechanisms ma be used to drive the several arts in place 0 those that I have shown bu the essential features of the invention will not thereby be changed.

What I claim and desire tors Patent is:

1. In a street swee er, the combination with a rotary brush, 0 a conduit having an approximately vertical portion and a horizontal portion adjacent and parallel to the brush and laterally open on the side next the same, means for creating an air current. away from the brush, in said conduit, and means for sitively engaging and advancing througi both said portions, and in the direction of the air current, matter not carried bv the current.

2. he combination with a wheel-supported frame, of a rotari, brush carried thereb a power driven belt raving a horizontal to d or run near and parallel to the brush and the streets surface and upon that side of to secure by Let- Oeptoe e! the brush toward which material is driven by the lower side of the latter, a stop extending along the middle portion of the belt at someidistance above the same, to arrest solid matter thrown by the brush, and a suitable casing inclosing laterally said run and brush.

8. The combination with a wheel-supported frame and a transverse rotary brush carried thereby, of a )ower driven belt having a lane horizontal iold or run near and paral e1 t0 the streets surface and the brush and upon that side of the latter toward which the lower side moves dislodged mate rial, a protecting horizontal plate immediately below said run, and a sectional roller secured to that edge of the plate which is nearest the brush and normally running u on the streets surface, preventin material from being forced under the p ate by the brush.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name on the 4th day of November, 1909.

WILLIAM ERASTUS WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

Josarn P. GEIGER, JOHN L. HAMMOND.

by Manning the "Oonunluloner of intents,

Washington, D. 0. 

